Academics

Maimonides Upper School

Preparing our students for success beyond the classroom

By integrating academic skills, content mastery, and character trait development throughout the SDJA experience, we instill knowledge, confidence, and life skills that enable our students to flourish well after graduation. 

Learning happens in various ways throughout the school day and beyond. Our classrooms, labs, and studios are vibrant spaces of discovery, inquiry, and growth. At the same time, the entire SDJA campus is our classroom, where students learn life skills like collaboration, teamwork, and empathy by engaging in co-curricular programs and social experiences in the upper school's quads, fields, and courts. Through this intentional coupling of the classroom-based academic program and campus-wide learning, SDJA students prepare for the complexities of the modern world.  

Two upper school students sit at a table with photos of Israel behind them

Program Overview

Effective learning environments are highly relational. The cornerstone of everything we do is built upon the student-teacher relationship. In addition to being experts in their fields, our faculty establish an age-appropriate, warm, and engaging environment for learning.  

The MUS experience is designed so students can immerse themselves in many academic courses, clubs, interscholastic athletics, Jewish life activities, and campus leadership opportunities. With guidance from their teachers, advisors, and administrators, students are encouraged to have a holistic approach when designing their program so they are both challenged academically and maintain their mental health and wellbeing.

Graduation Requirements

English: 4 years 

Fine Arts: 1 year (studio or performing arts)

History: 3 years (including one year of World History and one year of U.S. History)

Jewish Studies: 4 years (Jewish Studies 9, Rabbinics, Jewish Thought, Senior Seminar)

Math: 3 years (Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra 2 are required)

Science: 3 years (Biology is required for all freshmen, 1 year of additional “Science” and 1 year of “Technology”)

World Language: 2 years of the same language in progression

Co-curricular: Participation in 1 program per year (options are interscholastic athletics, advanced music, dance, Theatre Company, e-Sports, robotics team, physical education classes, ISPE)

What students & parents are saying

A group of Upper School students receive instruction from a teacher

The staff and teachers are always available and are always ready to help. I love that the teachers and staff know me and who I am. They understand your strengths and weaknesses, and know how to build you up.

Spencer
Junior, Maimonides Upper School